Tap water in SR3, SunderlandSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 4,467 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.3 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 378 mg/L a softener is the only thing that stops limescale. Filters do not soften water.
It pays for itself in most homes at this hardness, through a boiler that stays efficient and appliances that last.
ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour
£40typical price
Households concerned about PFAS and heavy metals
Waterdrop 10UA Under Sink
£70typical price
High-volume under-sink filtration without RO complexity
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What's in a glass of SR3 water
Every bubble is a substance the lab measured. The higher it floats, the closer it came to its legal limit, the dashed line at the top.
Nitrate came closest to a limit, at 44% of it. 16 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate44%
- Fluoride28%
- Aluminium8%
- Turbidity5%
- Bromate5%
- Colour4%
- Iron4%
- Boron3%
- Antimony3%
- Copper3%
- Selenium3%
- Manganese2%
- Chromium2%
- Arsenic1%
- Nitrite1%
- Lead<1%
- Nickel<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 540 µS/cm
- pH 7.6 pH
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.015 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 8% |
| Iron | 0.0075 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Colour | 0.88 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| Conductivity | 540 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| pH | 7.6 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Manganese | 0.0011 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.00089 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.06 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 3% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Boron | 0.034 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 22 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 44% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 3% |
| Arsenic | 0.00013 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Nickel | 0.00013 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | <1% |
| Fluoride | 0.42 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 28% |
378mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
Very hard on the UK scale. It is fine to drink. It is hard on boilers, showers, skin and anything that heats water, and a jug or tap filter will not change that.
Softener quotes for SR3
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Your river is the Hendon Coastal Area, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Hendon Coastal Area as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life. It fails the chemical test, as every river, estuary and stretch of coast in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury, PFOS (a forever chemical) and old flame retardants.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
97
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 3 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.0043 µg/L, at Wear at Chester New Bridge, 9.2 km away, in September 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Sunderland · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
SR3 in short
Tap water in SR3 (Sunderland) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the Sunderland Central zone and scores 9.3 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 20 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 19 December 2025.
- The lowest score of the 10 areas tested in SunderlandSR3 scores 9.3 out of 10. The best in Sunderland, SR5, scores 9.7. Every area in Sunderland
- Among the hardest water in the country at 378 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in SR3. How hardness is measured
- Every one of the 9 neighbouring districts scores higherSR5 next door scores 9.7, against 9.3 here. Supply zones, not distance, explain the gap. See SR5
Questions about SR3 water
Is SR3 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, SR3 (Sunderland) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in SR3 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in SR3 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels. PFAS (forever chemicals) were also measured in rivers and groundwater within 10 km, though not in the tap-water tests themselves.
Who supplies water in SR3?
SR3 (Sunderland) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is SR3 water hard or soft?
Water in SR3 (Sunderland) has a hardness of 378 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as very hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in SR3?
SR3 water scored 9.3/10 with no contaminants above recommended levels. A filter is optional but can improve taste, especially if you notice a chlorine flavour. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in SR3 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for SR3 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 97 river and groundwater samples from 3 sites within 10 km of SR3, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.0043 µg/L about 9.2 km away. These are environmental samples, not tests of tap water. The UK currently has no legal limit for PFAS in drinking water; the Drinking Water Inspectorate uses a 0.1 µg/L guideline for individual compounds. Reverse osmosis filters can reduce PFAS levels.
How clean is the river near SR3?
The Environment Agency rated the Hendon Coastal Area as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life. It fails the chemical test, as every river, estuary and stretch of coast in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury, PFOS (a forever chemical) and old flame retardants. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in SR3, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- Best Filter for PFAS RemovalThe filters with independent certification to remove forever chemicals
- PFAS Forever ChemicalsWhat PFAS are and how to reduce your exposure at home
- Best Water Softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared, with real costs
- Do I Need a Water Softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and a postcode check
- UK Water Hardness MapIs your water hard or soft, and does it matter?
- Do I need a water softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and when the answer is no
- Best water softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared
- Water softener costUnit, fitting and salt, and how long the payback takes
- Installation explainedWhere it goes, the bypass tap, the drain, DIY or plumber
- Harvey vs KineticoThe two premium twin-cylinder brands, side by side
- Softener salt guideTablet, block or granular, and how much you get through
- Salt-free softenersConditioners and electronic descalers, honestly assessed
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of SunderlandUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near SR3
Environment Agency samples from rivers, groundwater and reservoirs nearby. Not your tap water. For scale they are shown against drinking water limits; rivers are judged against much stricter environmental standards, and on those every river in England fails for chemicals.
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for SR3.